1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of user interfaces and more particularly to software that facilitates authentication of user interface elements in a Web 2.0 environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Web 2.0 is a term describing a trend in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to facilitates creativity, information sharing, and collaboration among users. These concepts have led to the development and evolution of various service providers, such as web-based communities and hosted services, including social-networking sites, wikis, and blogs. Although the term suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software developers and end-users use the Web. In short, the Web 2.0 refers to the trend wherein the web is used as a platform for technologies.
Web 2.0 websites allow users to run software-applications entirely through a browser. This is due to the fact that a Web 2.0 web site interface is based on Ajax, Flex or similar rich media. Ajax (asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a group of inter-related web development techniques used for creating interactive web applications. JavaScript is the scripting language in which Ajax function calls are usually made. Flex is a collection of technologies for the development and deployment of cross platform, rich Internet applications based on the proprietary Flash platform.
One application of the Web 2.0 concept includes dashboard applications. Individuals are sometimes faced with the task of monitoring certain information feeds such as stock values, weather reports, news headlines or the status of one or more computers. In an effort to facilitate the administration of such information feeds, dashboard-like user interfaces are often built using Web 2.0. A dashboard is a user interface that is designed to provide visual presentations of information feeds. A dashboard may obtain information from the local operating system in a computer, from one or more remote applications that may be running, and/or from one or more remote sites on a network, and present it all on one interface.
Another application of the Web 2.0 concept includes the use of mashups. A mashup is a web application that combines data from more than one source into a single integrated tool. Content used in mashups is typically sourced from a third party and integrated into the client web browser or the user interface of the mashup. Mashups and dashboards, however, don't come without their drawbacks.
Individual user interface elements of a mashup or a dashboard application sometimes require authentication. For example, a user's browser may comprise multiple user interface elements wherein a first user interface element consists of a stock ticker that receives information from a for-pay or subscription-based web site data source that requires a login or authentication. Thus, when a user first initiates the mashup or dashboard, a separate login window may be spawned or instantiated so that the user may enter his user name and password and commence the stock ticker user interface element. Once authenticated, the stock ticker user interface element continuously receives and displays stock information in its apportioned area of the web browser.
If, however, the web browser or user interface element becomes disconnected from the web site data source or simply times out, then upon reconnecting the web site data source may again require authentication. This results in the same authentication window popping up so that the user may enter his user name and password. If more than one user interface element in the web browser requires authentication, then multiple separate login windows will automatically pop up. This can be annoying and distracting to the user. Further, with computer desktop space at a premium, the sudden automatic spawning of multiple windows on a user's desktop can lower productivity and cause delays. The user is forced to deal with such a situation by stopping what he's doing to either log into each authentication window or simply shut them down. This can be tedious and time-consuming.
Therefore, there is a need to overcome the deficiencies with the prior art and more particularly for a more efficient way to manage authentication of user interface elements in a Web 2.0 environment.